Living in Greece

A practical guide to moving, living, working & traveling in Greece, plus musing and misadventures from an American in Athens
Residence-Work Permits > Long-term EU-wide residency/work permits for Greece

Long-term EU-wide residency/work permits for Greece

March 30, 2007 at 19:57 ·

Greek permitAdeia Diamonis or Residence Permit Sticker of Greece – May not be reused

A special five-year, long-term EU-wide residence/work permit applies to non-EU citizens who can prove they have been legally living and working in Greece for a minimum of five (5) years with a full residence/work permit.

Please take the time to read this article, which is unavailable anywhere else since March 2007 and updated with the latest information from official documentation and first-hand experience.

If you have not been working and living in Greece for five (5) years or you are the non-EU spouse/child of a Greek or EU citizen, or you’re looking for information on 10-year residence permits, stop now and read, “How Americans and other non-EU citizens can get a permit to move, live and work in Greece.”

The Ministry of Interior announced that a new Immigration Code had been drafted, which would grant EU-wide status to certain long-term residents and simplify bureaucracy, but nothing has been officially published and existing laws are still in effect.

*Article last updated on January 2, 2015. However, answers in ‘Comments’ reflect a specific case or whatever laws were in effect at the time. I am waiting for someone to complete the process to provide the latest details.

Image was intentionally Photoshopped to remove vital elements, protect privacy and help prevent forgery.

Warning

An INFOrmation guide and two lawyers plagiarized this post and falsely attributed the source as an official government website that contained no information on the subject, reusing first-hand details from my life and rewriting them as their own.

Be careful who you trust.

Basic requirements

This permit applies to non-EU citizens who are:

1. Over the age of 18

2. Not connected to a Greek or other EU national by marriage or blood

3. Living and working in Greece legally with an existing permit for five (5) years and an absence of:
a) no more than six (6) months continuously on one occasion;
and
b) less than 10 months total in five (5) years.

If you have been outside Greece for more than six (6) months on one occasion, then you are not considered ‘resident’ in Greece. If your absences in Greece prevent you from applying, you must delay your application until eligible.

*Immigrants in Greece for study or vocational training purposes, asylum seekers and refugees cannot apply for this permit.
**There is no such thing as a permanent residence visa. See “What’s the difference between a visa and a permit?”

Where to apply

Local “dimos” (municipality offices), foreigners offices (grafeia allodapon), kentro exipiretisis allodapon (in Athens only from 8:00 to 20:00) or nomarxeia (prefecture offices) accept applications during certain hours, usually early in the morning starting at 7:30 a.m. There is no nationwide standard — some take appointments, some see a limited number of applicants per day, and some operate on a first-come, first-serve basis on specific days. In smaller towns and rural areas, the local police station will have an Allodapon or Foreigner division, where applications are processed.

If you are uncertain of the location, the mayor’s office or city hall in your prefecture should be able to direct you to the correct address. KEP Citizen Service Centres are often not knowledgeable about non-EU issues, though you are free to inquire by calling ‘1500.’

Staff will often only speak Greek. A Greek-speaking friend, relative or associate may be necessary; a lawyer or attorney is not.

Documents and fees

You need:

1. Your passport or other valid travel document
— Four (4) photocopies of the main page and the original for inspection
— Latin letters are acceptable, and translations to Greek are needed for passports without Latin letters. See “Official translations to Greek” if you require assistance.
— Some applicants may be asked to provide one (1) photocopy of each passport page, although legislation was passed in 2008 that did away with this requirement.
— If you had more than one passport in the past five (5) years, you need to provide four (4) photocopies of the main page of the expired one(s).

2. A valid Greek residence/work permit
— The original for inspection and four (4) photocopies
OR
2. An unexpired bebaiosi (blue certificate with photo) that proves you renewed your permit
— The original for inspection and four (4) photocopies

3. Income tax returns for the past two (2) years
— Annual income must show at least 8,500 euros, plus 20 percent for a dependent spouse (or 1,700 euros) and 15 percent (or 1,275 euros) for each dependent child under the age of 18.
— ‘Ekkatharistiko’ issued by the Greek tax office/eforia/DOY; or a copy of your last tax filing and a dilosi issued by the tax office that you owe no outstanding debts, if no ekkatharistiko has been issued at the time of application
— The original and four (4) photocopies

4. A document (dilosi) issued and certified by the Greek tax office/eforia/DOY stating that you do not owe any unpaid taxes
— The original and three (3) photocopies

5. A document issued by your Greek social insurance fund stating that you have full medical and hospital coverage
— Usually they ask for consecutive IKA or OAEE statements, or a dilosi signed and stamped/certified by your insurance carrier — The original for inspection and three (3) photocopies of each document
— If you have OAEE, OGA, etc., you need a document (dilosi) issued by your social insurance fund stating that you do not have any outstanding insurance payments — The original and three (3) photocopies

6. Rental contract certified by the Greek tax office/eforia/DOY or the title deed of your home
— The original for inspection and four (4) photocopies
OR
6. A certified dilosi signed by the owner of the home that you reside at that address without paying rent, stamped and certified by police.

7. Type ‘A2′ certificate issued by IDEKE certifying “sufficient” knowledge of the Greek language
— Three (3) photocopies and the original
— This requires successful completion of 150 hours of free Greek language classes administered by the education ministry’s General Secretariat of Adult Education (IDEKE) or a passing grade on its test equivalent.
— For more information on where to sign up for classes or take the exam and get a certificate, see “Free Greek language lessons.”
OR
7. Completion of at least three (3) years of secondary school education in Greece
OR
7. Certificate/diploma from any high school in Greece.
— Four (4) photocopies, plus original for inspection

8. Type A2 certificate issued by IDEKE of “sufficient” knowledge of Greek history and culture
— Three (3) photocopies and the original
— This requires successful completion of 25 hours of free Greek history/culture classes administered by the education ministry’s General Secretariat of Adult Education (IDEKE). See “Free Greek language lessons” to learn how and where to sign up.

9. Four color passport-size photographs
— Government sources say three (3), but it’s always been four at offices I’ve applied

10. Certified receipt (παράβολο/parabolo) for the non-refundable fee of 600 euros
— The original and three (3) photocopies
— Paid at the Greek tax office/eforia/DOY or Dimarxeio/Mayor’s office of your municipality (location of payment varies by municipality)

11. Application
— Provided by the municipality office, completed in Greek

12. Fakelo
— Folder with rubberbands at the corners, purchased at any office or school supplies shop; they’ll know what you mean if you use the word I provided

* Note: I always keep a photocopy of everything before giving over the folder, in case the office loses my file (which has happened 5 times in 10 years).

What happens next?

A public official will check, verify and bundle your documents in the fakelo, then issue a bebaiosi (blue paper with your photo). It is not a new or temporary residence/work permit. It is a certificate of receipt that your papers have been accepted and are being reviewed for the possibility of permit issuance.

Before a long-term EU-wide residence/work permit is issued, you must attend an interview at the regional office (perifeiria) to examine your moral character and worthiness at a specific date and time according to a certified letter sent to you within 90-120 days. You must show up.

If the interview goes well, the board will instruct authorities at the interior ministry to issue the permit sticker or card and you will notified by telephone or be required to call the municipality office or check on its status in person as to when it is ready for pickup, usually within 30 days.

Under EU law, long-term resident status will (ideally) enjoy equal treatment with EU nationals in regards to:

* Access to paid and unpaid employment, conditions of employment and working conditions.
* Education and vocational training, recognition of qualifications.
* Welfare benefits — family allowances, retirement pensions, sickness insurance.
* Social assistance — minimum income support or retirement pensions, free health care
* Social benefits — possibility of tax relief, access to goods and services; freedom of association and union membership; freedom to represent a union or association.
* Access to the entire territory of EU member states — subject to the rules and conditions of the new member state. (Note: The second member state may refuse applications for residence only where there is an actual threat to public policy, public security or public health).
* “Enhanced protection” against expulsion. This means they may only be expelled from the country if they pose a “serious threat” to public order or domestic security that impacts a fundamental societal interest. Decisions may not be based on economic considerations.

What happens if I’m denied?

If your application for a long-term EU-wide permit is denied by Greece, they will inform you of the reasons when you check on its status. If these reasons can be fixed with time or additional documents, you will be allowed to apply again.

The 600-euro fee remains under your name but is not refunded. It is said that the fee can be used to apply for a future permit without further payment, but I advise you to keep copies of the receipt and/or have a municipality employee certify a document attesting to this.

Applicants also have the right to file an appeal at the municipality, contact the Greek ombudsman to intervene, or take legal action by hiring a lawyer and filing suit.

How many non-EU citizens in Greece have this permit?

Although a majority of non-EU citizens have been in Greece for more than five years and an estimated 250,000 qualify, only one person held this permit in December 2007, less than a dozen by April 2008 and only 106 in October 2009. Why?

— Greece waited five years before implementing the EU directive, and only did so when the EU took them to the European Court of Justice
— The original application fee of 900 euros made it cost prohibitive, since the average salary in Greece is 200-300 euros less.
— Many Greek employers refuse to offer social insurance to foreigners, expecting them to work illegally or pay for their own insurance, which is costly.
— Greek language requirements have been changed at least three times since 2006, plus the certificate required for this permit could only be secured by passing a test that did not exist until mid-2009.
— Many immigrants still face obstacles in even signing up for free Greek classes because employer consent is required to sign up, classes are only offered twice a year — and during the day, which makes it impossible for employed persons to attend — and there is an annual enrollment limit of 3,000 students.

Ways to lose your long-term EU-wide permit in Greece

a) A court of justice expels you from Greece;
b) Greek police deem you a public menace or national threat;
c) you are outside the EU for 12 consecutive months or more;
d) you are in possession of a long-term residence permit from another EU country; or
e) you are outside Greece for at least six (6) years.

Renewal

Applicants must apply for renewal of the permit for another five (5) years at least 60 days before the expiration date. Many, but not all, of the same elements are necessary.

Long-term EU-wide permits of other EU nations

Please note that these are the eligibility requirements for Greece only. Other EU member states have requirements (often easier), fees and laws unique to their country.

Can I move to another EU country?

The long-term, EU-wide residence/work permit from Greece described above entitles you to live and work in another EU member state — except Denmark, Ireland and the UK — but you are subject to the rules and regulations of the new country. Your newly chosen country may allow you to swap 1:1 for another EU-wide permit or give you a long-term permanent residence permit good only for their country, thus stripping you of EU-wide status and requiring you to stay five (5) years to again achieve EU-wide status to move again.

This is why it is wise to check with the country of interest before you move.

If you do not have the special long-term EU-wide permit described in this article, you have a Greek permit good only for Greece and do not have permission or authorization to work anywhere else.

Do you have a question?

Please read the comment policy posted in “Comments, Questions and Contacting Me” before asking a question.

*The ability to ask questions is now closed due to 90 percent of people asking redundant questions and not reading the information available.

Sources

— Personal experience
— Documentation given to me by the municipality, translated from Greek to English
— Προεδρικό Διάταγμα ΥΠ’ ΑΡΙΘ. 150/2006 (in Greek)
— Εγκύκλιος 47/2006 (in Greek)

Published November 2010 after my article:
— Long-term resident status for third country citizens in Greece (Inaccurate; for comparison purposes only)

I do not source anything from official websites because they reflect policies, not reality.

Related posts

“FAQ: Greek residence and work permits”
“I’m a non-EU citizen in Greece, can I travel whenever I wish?”
“How non-EU citizens can get a permit to move, live and work in Greece”

Possible change in law

http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=478073

85 Comments

  Jennifer wrote @ April 11th, 2008 at 21:24

Hi there,
I’m trying to access a post about non-EU spouses of EU citizens applying for an EU-wide residency permit, but apparently I need a password to do so. Is there some place where I can sign up and access the post? I’m really curious about how to go about this. We live on Hydra, but we’ll be getting married in the States in a few weeks, and I’m hoping to get all of the paperwork submitted and returned before I return to Greece.
Thanks!
Jen

Kat Reply:
April 12th, 2008 at 20:29

The spouse permit is not EU-wide — it says this clearly in the first two paragraphs. It is only for Greece and one of the easiest pieces of bureaucracy to complete.

Second, the EU-wide permit only applies to non-EU citizens (not married to EU citizens) who have been working in Greece for 5 years with a permit and meet a number of other requirements detailed above.

Last, the answer for password-protected posts can be found in “Comments, Questions and Contacting Me.”

  adriatik wrote @ May 1st, 2008 at 21:20

Hi , I just wanted to know that IF i have work permit and been leaving in greece over ten years do i have a chance to get a greek passport ? thanks

Kat Reply:
May 11th, 2008 at 18:33

Answers to your questions are already on this website. They are:

a) No.
b) You can only get a Greek passport if you have Greek citizenship. You can only get Greek citizenship if you have lived here for 10 of the last 12 years (so you have 2 more years to go) and go through the complicated/expensive naturalization process. You could have found the answer to your question very easily by doing a “Search” or looked at “Categories” in the 2nd column. Articles for “Greek passport” and “Greek citizenship by naturalization” are there.

All best.

  Red wrote @ May 22nd, 2008 at 13:25

Will having a greek residence permit / work permit allow me to work in other EU countries? If not, how can a non-EU spouse of a greek citizen obtain a greek passport?

Kat Reply:
May 23rd, 2008 at 21:36

Answers:

a) No.
b) Same answer I gave to both the commentators above you. I’ve provided all the answers for you in this article and the article linked/listed in the first paragraph; all you need to do is take a look. Thank you.

  elisabeta wrote @ December 2nd, 2008 at 22:59

hello i am albanian and for the last 12 years i have been living in greece.

i went to greek school,i had a working permit and from june i applied for a 5-year working permit but i didnt recieve it yet. i m in france rightnow attending a french university. the documents that i have here is student permit not working one.

can i transfer my rights from greece to france?can i work with the greek papers in france?

thank you

Kat Reply:
December 3rd, 2008 at 19:37

Depends. If the five-year working permit was the special long-term EU-wide permit costing 900 euros, then yes you can live/work in France. However, if it was any other kind of Greek permit, then the answer is ‘no.’ There’s no such thing as transferring rights, unless you have the special long-term EU-wide permit because rules in Greece are different from rules in another EU country; the EU is not one country with one set of rules. Further, you cannot do anything until you receive the real permit.

  Matt wrote @ March 17th, 2010 at 19:31

Just a quick one to say I think you have managed to compile the best, and most accurate information about the joys of living and working in Greece I have managed to read in my 11 years of living here as a Non-EU citizen.

Well Done…

Looking to get the EU wide permit if I can find the time to go back to school for 150 hours!!

Kat Reply:
March 19th, 2010 at 18:40

Hi Matt, thank you so much for your kind words! It means a lot since it sounds like you and I have been here the same number of years, so we know how bad the “official” sources are and how hard it can be without some guidance or language skills (at the beginning). Yes, 150 hours!

  Leo wrote @ October 6th, 2010 at 22:49

Hi All,

Thanks for great and useful informations. I have learned recently that there are some new changes introduced with a related law. A child of non EU parents born in Greece, is automatically eligible for a permanent residence permit (and some differences in acquiring citizenship), permanent as a lifelong? If anyone knows more details on this I would be grateful for any information.

Thanks, keep up the good work, Kat

Kat Reply:
October 7th, 2010 at 01:51

Hi Leo,

After translating the new 52-page Greek Citizenship Code, all existing articles have been updated but new articles are still in the process of being created. You can start with, “Ways to acquire Greek citizenship.”

Everyone should keep in mind that I run this website, update its 350 articles, curate the Twitter news feed, quash plagiarism and dispense advice in my unpaid free time when not at my full-time job and tending to my own life. I ask readers to be patient, or please offer me a helping hand.

Thank you for your encouragement and for stopping by. It’s 2 am, and I must go to sleep before my head explodes. All best.

  michael wrote @ November 25th, 2010 at 16:12

hey i have a permanent residency here in greece, am a non eu. my permanent residency is going to expire in one month, i was planning to go to sweden for holidays, is it possible?

Kat Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 18:41

Question is already answered above. As it says under “Renewal,” you are obligated to start renewing your permit in Greece up to 60 days prior to expiration.

You’re free to leave and come back before the permit expires. But you’ll be fined if you renew late or fail to turn in all papers before the expiration date as explained in “FAQ: Greek work and/or residence permits.”

  jay wrote @ January 25th, 2011 at 17:45

hi,

i have greek permanent residence permit can i stay long in spain or can i swap Spanish one

Kat Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 02:27

If you have the special EU-wide long-term residence permit for Greece, you can swap for the same permit in Spain or another they denote as the equivalent, which may not be EU-wide.

If you do not have the special EU-wide permit issued by Greece, you must start from nothing to earn a permit in Spain.

In either case, you should consult Spanish authorities before leaving because not following their rules/laws can endanger your status and may leave you with no permit if you accidentally do something wrong.

  VJ wrote @ March 27th, 2011 at 17:53

re: Spain…

as far as I am aware they do swap EU-wide residence permit (issued for other EU country)… but not to similar “EU-wide residence permit” … they swap to “Spanish permanent residence”

Basically you end up demoting yourself from “EU-wide permit” to “Spanish permanent one”..

check http://extranjeros.mtin.es/es/InformacionInteres/InformacionProcedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/resilargaduracion.html
=> “Residencia de larga duración”

Kat Reply:
March 28th, 2011 at 00:56

Hi VJ,

Thanks so much for the link, which confirms my previous answer about the Greek permit being swappable for the same or another deemed equivalent by Spanish authorities. Laws change often, and I do not intend on becoming an expert on all 27 member states.

My impression is the commentator above did not have the EU-wide permit and thought he could just move to another EU member state with any Greek residence permit, and that isn’t true.

  harry wrote @ June 27th, 2011 at 15:11

hi, please tell me how a permanent residence sticker holder in greece can work in other eu country. thanks

Kat Reply:
June 28th, 2011 at 01:04

In order to leave Greece and work in another EU country, you must:

a) have the special EU-wide permit described above; or
b) qualify from nothing in the new EU country of your choice; or
c) qualify as the spouse/child of an EU/EEA citizen according to the rules set out by each country.

All countries have different laws, so you need to do research if that applies.

  phillip wrote @ August 1st, 2011 at 21:21

Hi Kat,

I wanted to add something to this post that might be of importance regarding #7 and #8 under the ‘How to Apply–you need:” section.

I possess the IDEKE certificate for Greek language lessons, for the 150 hours of A2 Greek language, and the 25 hours of Greek history and culture. They told me today (01/08/11) at the Kentro Exipiretisis Allodapon, where I go for my permit, that they need the certificate from the Greek exam for A2. The IDEKE certificates don’t take the place of the certificate for the A2 Greek exam (exetaseis pistopiisis tis ellinikis glossas). My teacher in the class had also told me that, so I was expecting to hear it today.

Anyway, just thought I’d mention that. I possess all the other documents, which are the same as your other listings, and they’re all fine. I’m going to the Minitry of the Interior tomorrow to see if there’s any additional information on this subject. I can let you know what I find out.

Phillip

  zafar wrote @ September 2nd, 2011 at 15:13

Dear sir
If I have permanent residence here in Greece and I want to take special long term residence EU-wide, do I need also school certificate and is the same process to apply? Please give me information on how can I apply and what document do I need?

Kat Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 15:28

It appears you didn’t read the article.

If you have permanent residence through marriage to a Greek/EU citizen, you are not eligible for the EU-wide permit. It says this in the first sentence.

If you were eligible, the article lists all the documents you need and how to apply.

  Khalil wrote @ September 13th, 2011 at 13:16

I come from Jordan and I am a holder of a permanent residency permit in Greece since 2009. In May 2010 I relocated to Cyprus as my wife is cypriot citizen and since then I didn’t visit Greece again.

Did I lose my long-term EU permit in Greece?

You mentioned above that in order to loose the long-term EU permit in Greece, someone should be outside the EU for 12 consecutive months or more and Cyprus is an EU country, so my permit didnot expire yet. is that right?

Kat Reply:
September 13th, 2011 at 17:45

Non-EU spouses of Greek/EU citizens are not eligible for the EU-wide permit in Greece described above, as I say in the first sentence. Therefore, you do not have this permit and info in the article doesn’t apply to you.

Do you have a regular five-year residence permit/card or the permanent 10-year residence permit/card issued by Greece? Only after receiving this information can I give you an answer.

  shafqat wrote @ September 23rd, 2011 at 01:59

hello,i am from pakistan.i have 12 years in greece with leagel status. i have pemanent resident (forever) in greece. i have complete 125 hours in school and i got certificate from (ideke)that i pass A1. i have complete all other requirements for long term resident permit eu. now please tell me can i get long term resident permit eu.

Kat Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 06:29

The only way you could have permanent (forever) resident status is if you are married to a Greek/EU citizen. If that’s the case, you are not eligible for this long-term EU-wide permit, as I say in the first sentence of the article. Also the requirement says A2 certificate, not A1. I get the feeling you didn’t read the article.

If you are not married to a Greek/EU citizen, then you do not have permanent (forever) resident status in Greece but are eligible for the long-term EU-wide permit. In that case, follow the instructions given above to submit your application to the local municipality dimos office nearest your residence.

I translate, research, compile, write, edit and update the information, and you follow it. I do not represent Greek authorities and I do not process applications. It is your responsibility to collect all the documents listed and make the application in person.

  myra wrote @ October 30th, 2011 at 12:06

hello!
i am a not yet a holder of this type of permit but i would like to ask if i am eligible to apply for one since my condition is special yet common. i was born in greece from sudanese parents who entered illegally the territory and it had been extremely difficult for me to apply for any kind of residence. as from 2008 i was able to obtain renewable permit for employment purpose. would it be wise to apply for the eu permit or opt for the citizenship?
thank you in advance!

Kat Reply:
October 31st, 2011 at 00:01

You do not qualify for an EU-wide permit in Greece or Greek citizenship at this moment. As the article says above, you must be living in Greece for a minimum of five (5) years with a permit. You told me you have only had your permit for three (3) years.

In “Ways to get Greek citizenship,” it says children born in Greece to LEGAL long-term, non-Greek residents of Greece must apply within 3 years of turning age 18, and children attending school must hold a permit for a minimum of six (6) years. Based only on the information you gave, you do not qualify for either of those options either.

If the information you provided is incomplete and you do somehow qualify for Greek citizenship, there are a number of other requirements for foreigners and a formal application must be submitted, as detailed in “Greek citizenship via naturalization.”

The information can only help you if you help yourself. All of the hard work — translating, research, writing, editing, updating — has been done for you; all you need to do is read it.

  kuhu wrote @ November 14th, 2011 at 11:41

Dear sir,
Great Job!
Its a big free service that you provide to the foriegners.
Is long term EU visa different from EU Blue card if Yes is there possibility to get Blue card in Greece.

Thanking you in anticipation,
Regards

Kat Reply:
November 14th, 2011 at 12:17

Kat is the name of woman, so I am not a ‘sir.’

A long-term visa is for entering and exiting Greece. A long-term EU-wide permit is for those who meet all the conditions listed above in the article. Blue Card is not in effect in Greece, as stated in “How non-EU citizens can move, live and work in Greece.”

The permit is not a Blue Card.

  manjit wrote @ January 16th, 2012 at 17:21

hi,
I have indian passport. but iam living in greece for 7 year. i am leagal here. now i have eu- long-time work permit. So I want to work in england. How can i go to england and work. So please could you tell me. What do I have to do

Kat Reply:
January 16th, 2012 at 18:06

If you have the long-term EU-wide permit for Greece described above, you can see the section “Long-term EU-wide permits of other EU nations” at the end of the article where it says that UK, Ireland and Denmark do not recognize this permit or allow a swap.

UK and Greece are both in the EU, but they are separate countries with separate immigration laws. If you want to work in the UK, you must start from nothing and get a work permit there. Find more at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

  admirruci wrote @ February 10th, 2012 at 21:10

I’m Albanian, i have a long-resident permit in Greece. can i move to live and work in Zwitserland Switzerland, England, Luxenburg Luxembourg, Norwey Norway?

thank you very mutch much

Kat Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 21:21

Switzerland is not a part of the EU – no. Norway is not in the EU – no. The UK does not recognize the long-term permit from Greece, as it says in the article above – no. You must start from nothing if you wish to move to these countries.

For Luxembourg and other nations, read the section “Long-term EU-wide permits of other EU nations” and “Can I move to another EU country?”

  James wrote @ February 24th, 2012 at 00:43

Comment 1:
Much gratitude for your efforts on such a unique and well kept portal. I am in much confusion in regards to the status and meaning of my permit.

I am a holder of a Permanent Residence Permit. I have been offered a position in Cyprus and upon calling the embassy, I was told that this was not an EU-Wide permit, but only a Greek permit.

Does this mean my long-term permit is not transferable? I cannot work anywhere except for Greece? If I do get a permit in Cyprus, do I lose my Greek permit by default?

Thank you for taking the time,

Regards
James

Comment 2:
Thank you greatly for your reply, it has cleared up many things. I am the holder of the Permanent residency based on the fact that I have lived here for more than five years (Actually, born here).

I guess this residence only applies for Greece. One last question, when you mean two continuous years outside of Greece, does returning to Greece for a few weeks a year restart the clock on that?

Comment 3:
I guess I might fall into a different category. My permanent is not a 10-year. It is a permanent as in, not time limit. It actually says “Aoristou” on the permit.

Kat Reply:
February 25th, 2012 at 10:56

Answer 1:
You did not provide enough information, so all I can do is give a general answer based on what you told me.

As far as I know there is only one permanent residence permit under current legislation, which has a validity of 10 years and is for non-EU spouses/children of Greek/EU citizens who have lived in Greece for more than five years. Assuming this is the permit you have, it was granted solely on a legal, continuing relationship to the Greek/EU citizen without further requirement or fee. It denotes a relationship specific to Greece and is therefore only good for Greece because they issued it. If/when you want to live and work in another EU member state, you must qualify under their rules as they pertain to non-EU family members of Greek/EU citizens. Under most circumstances, one can keep a Greek permit as long as it remains valid, even while holding a permit for another member state; and permanent status is only lost if staying outside Greece for two continuous years.

The long-term EU-wide permit for Greece described above has a validity of 5 years and is for non-EU citizens with no connection to a Greek/EU citizen — as stated in ‘Basic requirements’ — and is a status that must be earned after several years legal residency, proof of fluency in Greek, proof of Greek history/culture knowledge, proof of work and income, proof of social insurance contributions, an interview and a significant fee.

Permanent and long-term are not interchangeable terms.

Answer 2:
It’s not clear to me which permit you have.

Under the permanent 10-year residence permit, two continuous years is just that. Come back for one day, the clock restarts.

Under other permits, the rules are different. For example, a five-year permit only allows someone to be outside Greece for less than 6 months in any 12-month period.

You need to figure out if immigration to Cyprus is even possible because you must qualify under their laws and your legal status in Greece is irrelevant.

Answer 3:
As I said in the first sentence of my first and second answers to you, there’s no way I can tell which permit you have based on the little information you provided. I’d need to know what passport you hold, under what conditions you were issued the permit and when it was issued.

The bottom line in reference to your original questions:
a) It is not an EU-wide permit and does not automatically entitle you to live/work in Cyprus or swap for a Cypriot permit. It only entitles you to work in Greece.
b) Go to the dimos, find out which permit you have and ask them under what conditions you could lose it, if any.

I cannot help you further without you giving me more information. If you would like to give back to the website, come back and share what you learned in order to help others.

Good luck.

  Johnny wrote @ March 21st, 2012 at 18:01

Maybe the question will be repeated, but I don’t see precise references for specific laws, so I’ll ask (again). Especially because there is a serious confusion about “long-term” definition. It appears that the 5-year permit for a 5-year resident is much more “long-term” than a 10-year permit for a 10-year resident, while the procedure for issuing both permits is the same.

I have read the laws thoroughly and I’m not sure anymore about anything. :-)
I am about to apply for a 10-year residential and working permit within a few months. By default, I’m advised to apply for a 10-year residential/working permit based on law άρθρο 39 του Νόμου 3731/2008. This is a very important fact, as I am not married to anybody in Greece, I’m not an EU citizen, and I’ve been here myself last 10 years, living and working in Marousi. Basically, I qualify for any of the long-term permissions, either by Article 39 of law 3731/2008 or for a 5-years permit based on Π.Δ.150/2006. The requirements are identical:

1) to live in Greece 5+ years (or 10+ years) – I’ve got it and I had very few months in total being abroad, because I’ve been working all these years
2) To have the insurance, legal status, no crim. record, quite a salary and other formalities
3) To speak Greek and have a diploma (A2 in this case)

Logically speaking, it should be identical if I get one or another at the end. Both permits should be treated as “long-term”, as both are valid 5+ years and the issuing procedure is identical. Also, the legal basis for me is identical for both permits. My “long term resident” STATUS must not be compromised by neither the type of the permit, because my STATUS is defined by facts and irrespective of the “recognition” of the Government in the way of official confirmation written in form of Residential/Working permit with one law or another.
But the laws are so complicated and the legislation of the Council Directive 2003/109/EC is so different in every country in EU, that at the end I’m not sure anymore…
It comes that, according to your article:
– Only 5-year residential/working permit Π.Δ.150/2006 is “The” Long Term, which is recognized in the whole EU and that complies to 2003/109/EC.
– Double longer, long term 10-year residential/working permit law Άρθρο 39 Ν. 3731/2008 IS NOT the long-term and as such not recognized anywhere else outside Greece. Moving from GR to another EU member state would require a new application, as if the person was not a long-term or permanent resident of Greece (thus EU).
My questions/concerns are the following:
1) Can you please check about 10-years res/work permit based on Άρθρο 39 Ν. 3731/2008 and if it also complies to 2003/109/EC, and if other EU members accept such a permit as a “shortcut” for reissuing their own permit?
2) How can anybody explain the paradox of a 5-years resident having incomparably more freedom with his 5-year permit, than a 10+ years resident with his 10-years valid permit, assuming that the legal basis are identical (i.e. not a child raised in GR, not a marriage, etc)
3) I’ve checked a few countries and there they use just a generic definition, “long-term” residential/working permit. E.g. in France they would accept any other MS long-term resident, providing that s/he has a valid long term permit in the 1st MS and that s/he applies in a French prefecture within 3 months for a replacement of Res/work permit. If the applicant has a job contract in France, paid insurance and rental/owner contract of the apartment, then s/he qualifies for French papers and they would issue them. I haven’t seen in French definition any differences between specific laws in Greece (Π.Δ.150/2006 vs 3731/2008). They have a general law for all Member States and for all long term permits.
4) Is there anything specific in Άρθρο 39 Ν. 3731/2008 that qualifies and limits the corresponding permit as “local”, valid only in Greece?

Please help me solve this out.

Thank you
Johnny

PS. A few useful links abroad:
http://www.uil.it/immigrazione/guida-inglese2010.pdf
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0109:en:NOT
http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/pakalpojumi/eiropa.html

  Saxo wrote @ March 22nd, 2012 at 12:44

Dear sir,

Thank you very much for your information.

I have a long -term permit ( 5 years) now. I would like to know what documents i need in order to apply 10 years permit.

Thank you very much!!

Kat Reply:
March 22nd, 2012 at 19:22

Kat is a woman’s name, so I am not a sir.

You did not provide enough information on which five-year permit you have or your background for me to help you. Please visit the grafeio allodapon or dimos office in your municipality to inquire, take notes and come back and share your experience. It will help me to help others. All best.

  Linh wrote @ March 28th, 2012 at 15:04

Your questions were moved to “Undocumented workers in Greece.”

  allochtonen 2000 wrote @ March 28th, 2012 at 18:31

can the long-term resident move from greece to australia, because i hear that australia is searching workers from greece. if yes,what i can do to go there?
thank you very much

Kat Reply:
March 28th, 2012 at 18:39

Unfortunately, you are a victim of rumor. In articles I’ve run on the Twitter feed, I clarified that Australia never approved working visas for Greeks. And the man seeking to import Greek taxi drivers failed to mention that these people would need to have dual citizenship with Australia or be qualifying family members of Australian citizens. Australia is not looking for workers from Greece.

You can visit the Australian immigration bureau: http://www.immi.gov.au/ I found the link through a simple Google search.

A residence permit issued by Greece is only good for Greece. The EU-wide permit described above is only recognized by certain EU nations, as I say in the section “Long-term EU-wide permits of other nations.”

  Nathi wrote @ March 31st, 2012 at 01:58

Dear Mrs. Kat,

First of all I would like to express my deep appreciation for your kind efforts in providing info to people in need.

I went through most of the comments and your reply. And I’ve noticed a matter that has to do Permanent Resident Permit. There are quite a number of non-EU citιzen who hold this permit including me without being locked in marriage with a Greek citιzen. This permit was given in 2009 for those who lived legally more than 10 years since 1998 the first legalization. But since 2010, the government stop giving the permanent one and replaced it with the 10 years. So if someone says to you I’ve permanent permit with no wed-lock with Greek they mean that they have ΑΟΡΙΣΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΡΧΕΙΑΣ-N.3386/05,άρθρα 91,παρ. 2.

I personally well know that this permanent permit is valid to work & live only in Greece, not in other EU countries except to travel and stay for 3 months.

I hope this info can assist a bit.

  Surafel wrote @ March 31st, 2012 at 21:57

Hello,
I am from Asia and I and my wife have a permanent resident permit of Greece which allows us to work & live only here. Our 11 years old boy got Greek citizen recently.

Do we have any possibility to work and live in the EU because we are parents of EU citizen?
Thank you in advance.

Kat Reply:
March 31st, 2012 at 22:14

In nearly all countries in the world, citizenship rights pass from parent to child, not from child to parent. Greece is no different.

Your child can go anywhere in the EU, but you can only live in Greece. You can go somewhere else in the EU by acquiring the EU-wide permit described above or by going through naturalization to get Greek citizenship.

Otherwise, you must start from zero and qualify for a residence/work permit of the desired country according to their laws.

  riaz wrote @ April 21st, 2012 at 16:52

hello

i am from Pakistan living Greece since 1993 holding Greece Permanent Residence. i want to move Belgium what i need from Greece to work in other EU.
also with Permanent Residence i need also Permanent Residence EC? what is the defiance between them?
can you please tell me. thanks a lot

Kat Reply:
April 21st, 2012 at 21:00

You did not provide enough information for me to give a customized answer. However, if you look above your comment, you’ll see that I’ve answered this question several times already. I’ll repeat it.

– If you are a non-EU citizen not married to an EU citizen, you can only move to Belgium or certain other EU countries if you have the special EU-wide permit described above in the article.
– If you do not have the EU-wide permit, you must qualify for a new permit from nothing according to Belgium’s laws. The EU is a union composed of individual countries, and each country has its own immigration rules.
– There’s no such thing as a permanent resident permit for the entire EU. A person gets permanent residence by living/working in one country for many years. Therefore, a permanent resident permit issued by Greece is only good for Greece. Once a person moves away from that country, he/she eventually loses that status.
– You can enjoy free movement in the EU by getting Greek citizenship via naturalization.

Good luck.

  Moe wrote @ April 23rd, 2012 at 17:10

You seem to be quite knowledgeable of the immigration business and I’m more looking for an advice rather than an answer.

Being an employee of a mutli national company, I have the option of either moving to work in greece or australia for a long period of time.

Between getting the benifits of living and working in greece or australia, which would you recommend. (Ignore the salary factor)

Regards

Kat Reply:
April 24th, 2012 at 00:49

I’m flattered that you would ask, but what you see as a benefit may not be what I consider a benefit, so polling complete strangers is unwise when making life decisions. Answers come from within. Everything I have to say on the subject is covered at “Should I move to Greece?” Wishing you all the best.

  peter wrote @ April 25th, 2012 at 08:59

I have question about the documents required for applying for the 5 year permit. A couple documents related to tax, that is we must have last two years returns and a certificate from tax office that we do not owe any taxes to government. Being a financially independent resident permit holder, I do not work or earn in Greece and hence do not file tax returns here. Would this be an issue?

Kat Reply:
April 25th, 2012 at 23:58

The EU-wide status is only for those who work and derive income in Greece, which is why Greek tax statements are requested.

You do not work or derive income in Greece. Therefore, you are not eligible. Should you want to move to another EU country, you simply apply for a financially independent permit according to that country’s rules.

  jORDAN wrote @ May 14th, 2012 at 15:47

I am trying to find out where i can do the free lessons for obtaining the @ certificate as i would like to renew my permint for 5 years now. I live and work legaly in Mykonos, BUT i can not find nowhere any information about this lessons or where the exams are held, the dates etc. i have been living in Greece for 7 years and have been to private schools so i am quite ok speaking and writing in Greek, so maybe there is a chance i can just take the exam A2 instead of going to the scool to make 150 hours.

My kindly regards and thank you in advance

Kat Reply:
May 14th, 2012 at 16:06

Your question is already answered in the article above.

In the section “How to apply,” read what it says in #7, then click the link for “Free Greek language lessons.” It tells you where to sign up for lessons. If there is no class or exam listed for Mykonos, contact the Main Office. In the same article, there is a section called, “When and where examinations are given.”

  ASIF wrote @ June 8th, 2012 at 11:28

I just want to know the difference between EU wide card and permanent residence card or 10 years residence card. Are permanent residence card or 10years residence card valid to move and work in EU?
Thanks

Kat Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 12:03

As it says in the article and in comments above yours in response to those who asked the same question, the 10-year permanent residence card for Greece is NOT valid to move to another EU country.

Only the special EU-wide permit described in the article above grants that right to some (not all) countries. See the section, “Can I move to another EU country?”

  Jaantje wrote @ June 19th, 2012 at 15:38

Your question was moved to “FAQ: Greek permits.”

  ahmda wrote @ June 21st, 2012 at 13:36

Your question was moved to, “FAQ: Greek residence and work permits.”

  Mari wrote @ June 25th, 2012 at 17:06

Your question was moved to “Current EU countries.”

  Vickie wrote @ July 30th, 2012 at 15:44

Thank you for posting such useful info.

My question is a bit different from the others: I am from Asia and my parents got their five-year EU-wide residence permit in Spain. I am married to a Greek. From what I read, it is ok for my parents to live in Greece for long periods (two years or so), however, I am wondering if they have to register/ report to Greek government?

Thank you in advance.

Kat Reply:
July 31st, 2012 at 01:08

Whether your parents can come live in Greece depends on what the EU-wide permit issued by Spain entitles them to do.
a) Not all permits issued in the EU grant equal rights, so the article above does not apply to them as it pertains to EU-wide permits issued by Greece. I am not an expert on Spain.
b) The fact you live in Greece and are married to a Greek is irrelevant.
c) All non-EU citizens need to apply/swap for a permit in Greece.

They need to ask Spanish authorities what their permit entitles them to do, then check with Greek consulate/embassy nearest their residence on what permit would be granted if they moved here. Some countries do not swap EU-wide for EU-wide, which means your parents could lose EU-wide status and be given a Greek permit that only entitles them to live in Greece. In that case, they would then need to fulfill all requirements stated in the article above to earn back that status. If they only plan to live in Greece for 2-3 years and move on, it won’t be possible.

  bodiulalam wrote @ July 31st, 2012 at 23:23

i have resident and work permit in greece since 2006. now about 18 month i no job but i pay self ekka IKA 2011. the next year i go to germany for work. here i find a job but my pepar paper is not permit work in germany, so i back to greece and go to demose dimosio for eu work permit, but no find. now i want this paper. how can i find this eu work permit. please help me?

Kat Reply:
August 1st, 2012 at 09:44

Greek residence/work permits are only for Greece. If you want an EU-wide permit, you need to follow the instructions and submit the documents and fees listed above in the article. The information can only help you if you help yourself.

  saki ji wrote @ August 11th, 2012 at 21:26

mr kat is eu long term residance residence card valid for norwey norway, swiss etc ? i mean can a holder of EU LTR card reside and work in norwey norway?

Kat Reply:
August 12th, 2012 at 10:07

Kat is a woman’s name, so I am not a mr.

You did not provide enough information for me to give an answer. However, please see the answers I gave commentator ‘bodiulalam’ right above you and ‘admirruci’ who asked the same question, plus read the section “Can I move to another EU country?” in the article.

  Ashu Dhingra wrote @ August 17th, 2012 at 14:10

Hello
I am living in Greece since 10 years. I have a 10-year resident permit. I want to know if with this permit I may work in Italy because I want to move in Italy.

Kat Reply:
August 17th, 2012 at 14:44

You did not provide enough information for me to help you, but this question has been answered many times before in the article and questions above you. See the last two comments on this post.

  hari wrote @ November 22nd, 2012 at 18:46

Comment 1:
Well, I have a Greek permanent resident card but I am not from any EU countries and married with Greek women .Does it mean that i don’t need visa to travel and work in Canada ,UK or other EU countries?please help me with this.

Comment 2:
I am not Greek nor related with any other EU countries but I am holding Greek permanent resident card as my wife is Greek citizen. Do i need visa to travel and work in another EU countries and how about America and Canada? Is only holding PR is enough?or there are something that I have to follow? Do I have to go back to my country to apply for the visa?

Kat Reply:
November 22nd, 2012 at 22:58

You previously left a question under the name ‘nuvam’, and I sourced the information from November 6, 2011 to answer your current question.

First, you have a 5-year residence card. You do not have a permanent resident card. Permanent resident status is only granted to non-EU citizens who have been living in Greece for 10 years or married to Greek/EU citizens for 5 years. According to what I know about you, you’ve been married and living in Greece less than a year.

Second, your question about working in another country has already been answered at “Long-term residency/work permit for Greece.” Please take a look at the last two comments.

This is the second time you’ve asked a redundant question. I will enforce my comment policy, if it happens again. Good luck.

  Babak wrote @ November 23rd, 2012 at 08:57

I have granted to political asylum in Greece. The Greek migration board officer gave me a booklet called: Aliens resident permit issued by ministry of public order for 5 years validation. in addition, I have my refugee travel document which is very similar to a Greek passport. I have moved out to another Eu country for studding 2 months ago and I have applied for student resident permit but the migration board here dont accept my booklet as a Permanent resident ID. They said, I should have digital ID as EU permanent resident.
My question is,IS NOT that booklet that greek state gave me called permanent resident? or should I apply individually to get Greek permanent resident ID again?
Thank you so much.

Kat Reply:
November 23rd, 2012 at 11:01

An aliens resident permit is not the same as permanent residence. They’re two different things, and neither entitles the person to move to another EU country. I’ve answered this question many times before. See the last two comments at the end of this article.

You didn’t provide enough info for me to help you. I also know nothing about political asylum, refugee travel documents or what they entitle the person to do because all my articles are based on first-hand experience, and I’ve never been granted asylum or know anyone who has because we all have passports and got permits the regular way. You can seek free advice at Greek Council for Refugees at http://www.gcr.gr

  Harjit wrote @ November 26th, 2012 at 21:15

I belive this message will find you in good of health and spirit. I want to apply for long term residence permit which allows non eu citizens to work in other european countries. I have got three certificates of greek language from centre for greek language thessalonikis. is it enough to prove knowledge of greek language. bye bye

Kat Reply:
November 27th, 2012 at 01:07

As it says in the article above in #7 of section ‘Documents and fees,’ it must be the A2 certificate issued by IDEKE after successfully completing their classes or taking the test to prove you have sufficient fluency to avoid taking classes (follow the link).

I’ve helped you three times in the past six months. Please consider giving back to the website in exchange for the free assistance you received.

  khan wrote @ December 26th, 2012 at 18:04

please tell me i have 10 year rezedent residence permit can i work legly legally in france

Kat Reply:
December 26th, 2012 at 18:26

I’ve already answered this question many times. Read the article and my last two comments below.

  tina wrote @ July 10th, 2013 at 00:24

I stayed and worked in Greece for 12 years. In 2009 I paid 900 euro for renewal of my permit. It says permanent residence permit. But due to crisis I went to holland to look for work and I was staying with my Holland boyfriend. When I tried to look for employment was told that I cant work in Holland. I am amazed as the amount I paid was told that I cant use the permit all over EU. Now I am without employment and I had to go back to Greece where there is no work and I am told again that I had to pay the outstanding amount for my insurance. How can I survive in Greece in these financial problems. why cant Greece allow and permit us to work outside its borders. we are now stuck and no where to go. I think is pure discrimination

Kat Reply:
July 19th, 2013 at 12:13

You hold a 10-year permanent residence permit for Greece, issued by Greece and only good for Greece. As I’ve said many times before in response to the same question in Comments, and in the article above under ‘Can I move to another EU country?’, it is not good for the entire EU. You need to qualify and apply for the EU-wide permit described above, if you were interested in that privilege. The European continent is not one country following one set of laws, and other EU countries issue permits the same way, so it’s not unique to Greece.

Instead of interpreting/guessing/assuming what your permit entitled you to do, you were obliged to ask Greek and Dutch authorities if your permit lawfully granted you the right to live and work in the Netherlands prior to moving there. Common sense. Therefore, it is not “pure discrimination.”

The last two comments on this post below explain further.

  gloria wrote @ July 27th, 2013 at 00:03

hi Iam gloria, i am a filipino , i m working in greece my permit will soon expired , but before it will expire i want to go in paris.. my question is , Can i renew or can i apply for a permit in Paris using my permit in greece? thank u im waiting for your reply…

Kat Reply:
July 27th, 2013 at 07:00

In a word, no.

Read the last two comments on this post (below).

  Emma Becky wrote @ March 25th, 2014 at 21:49

1:
Am a non-eu citizen who’s has been married with agreek for 4 years. Am now divorced and planning to move, live and work in belgium. I hold a 5 year residence/work permit ( Adeia diamos), in Belgium I was asked for a Greek work permit called adeia elgaisia since am now divorced, now am still in greece I work, pay my taxes, live alone…etc.

My lawyer said it’s OK I can take the work permit in 1 or 1 and half months, but please I would like to know more if I will not be asked more paper work in Belgium, as for now they only told me to come back to greece and get Adeia elgasia in order to work there but am just too scared to move before being sure especially from the Greek government….hope I proveded provided enough. am originally from Uganda. please help.

2:
please am patiently waintingbfr waiting for your reply. hope you got my other message. I made a mistake, my EU card is deltio diamonis not adela diamonds. please I need your answers. hope you see my mail. thanks for the beautiful site. it,s so so helping…

3:
Thank you so so much for your answer but still the place where I have to go read the special long term EU permit is adeia diamonis I hold the 5 year residence/work permit called deltio diamoniss and its expireing expires in June 2015. Please do I still fall in the same cartegory category as of Adeia diamonis?

Please am very sorry for asking too much I just feel so stuck and stranded about what to do.
I had that after 3 years of marriage non EU can be allowed to stay in Europe and enjoy the same facilities as the citizens and I just don’t,t get it why I still can’t move to Belgium? Please forgive me to bother you a lot…

Kat Reply:
March 28th, 2014 at 21:10

2:
I have seen your comment/question, but it has been less than 72 hours since you requested help. As it says on the front page and in ‘Questions‘, I run this website in my unpaid spare time and will come back to you when I can. If you are impatient for an answer, inquire directly with the office that issued your permit and the Belgium embassy. Greek lawyers know little to nothing about laws concerning non-EU citizens, which is why many plagiarize my website and why readers come to me for help after lawyers promised something that was never possible but still took their money.

1:
You didn’t provide enough information — adeia diamonis and adeia ergasia (not elgasia) describes all permits. It tells me nothing about the type/category, conditions under which it was issued or expiration.

First, from 15 years experience, I know of no work permit in Greece that can be issued in 1 or 1.5 months. Most people wait 90 days or more after submitting papers, as described in “FAQ: Greek work/residence permits.” More importantly, a regular Greek work/residence permit does not entitle you to work anywhere in the EU, only in Greece.

Spouse permit vs. EU-wide permit
a) If your current residence/work permit was issued under the condition you are a spouse of a Greek/EU citizen, it is an adeia diamonis and ergasias but you cannot move anywhere in the EU because you are divorced from him. Please see the last two comments on this post to learn why.

b) If your current residence/work permit is the special long-term EU-wide permit described in the article above for persons living in Greece a minimum of 5 years, you can move to Belgium and swap the Greek permit for a Belgium one (I encourage all people to check with “new country” embassy, immigration or border authority before leaving Greece). There will be paperwork involved because Belgium is a different country with different laws, language and requirements. However, it is better than starting from zero. Unfortunately, I get the feeling you do not have this permit because it requires fluency and certificates in the Greek language, and your comments lead me to believe that you have neither.

3:
You’re not bothering me, but all you’re doing is rephrasing the same questions.

There is no difference between the adeia diamonis and the deltio diamonis, except one is a card and the other is a sticker. The most important piece of information is why and under what conditions your permit was issued (i.e., marriage to an EU/Greek citizen or something else); and you failed to provide this.

A non-EU citizen may keep his/her residence/work permit for Greece after divorce, if the marriage lasted at least 3 years as stated in “FAQ: Greek work/residence permits,” which is the same article I quoted in the first answer.

A non-EU citizen with a permit from Greece NEVER has the same privileges and rights as an EU citizen. Only citizenship from one of 28 member states grants that. You were granted a residence permit, not citizenship. The meaning of ‘resident’ is very different from ‘citizen.’

Regarding why you cannot go to Belgium with a Greek residence/work permit, I have already explained this in previous answers.
a) Your permit was issued by Greece, for Greece, under the laws of Greece to reside in Greece. Not Belgium.
b) Belgium and Greece are different countries. Separate countries, separate laws.
c) Europe is not one country, just as Africa is not one country. Uganda does not allow everyone from Africa to live and work in the country, just as Belgium does not allow everyone from the EU to work in its country.

If you want to go to Belgium:
1) Acquire the special long-term EU-wide permit from Greece by following the instructions in the article above; or
2) Start from nothing under Belgium immigration laws.
There are no other ways. Even acquiring Greek citizenship is not possible at this time.

Please direct future questions to the allodapon grafeio, dimos office or wherever you submit papers for a permit; and visit the official Belgium gov’t website and contact the Belgium embassy/consulate for information on immigration.

All best.

  sami wrote @ July 6th, 2014 at 16:48

hi i am living greece 10 years. Now i don,t have work but i have adia diamoni 2 year. Can i work any european country?

Kat Reply:
July 7th, 2014 at 01:06

You did not provide enough information for me (or anyone) to help you.

Please read the last two comments on this post for answers that may apply to your situation.

  Kat wrote @ July 7th, 2014 at 08:00

a) You can move from Greece to another EU country if you are currently married to an EU citizen, and he/she moves with you.
b) You can move from Greece to a non-EU country such as the USA, Canada or Australia if you have dual citizenship with that country, or your spouse has citizenship of that country and he/she obtains an immigration visa for you and moves with you.
c) You can move from Greece to another EU country if you have Greek citizenship or citizenship from another EU/EEA country.
d) You can move from Greece to certain (not all) EU countries if you applied for and were granted the special 5-year long-term EU-wide residence permit described in the article above. See section, “Can I move to another EU country?” to understand which countries allow it.

All other Greek residence/work permits are only good for Greece, so anyone looking to move, live and/or work in any other country must start from nothing according to that country’s immigration laws.

If your child is an EU citizen but you are not, you cannot move to another EU country. Parents of EU citizens can only move with their children if the parents are elderly, do not work and/or are financially dependent on adult children who provide a home and income to support his/her parents.

Greece and other countries in the EU retain separate borders, languages, citizenship and immigration laws. The EU is not one country with one set of laws.

  Kat wrote @ July 7th, 2014 at 10:38

Note to everyone: As of August 2012, I closed this article to comments due to 90 percent of people asking redundant questions and only one person (Nathi) contributing information without wanting anything.

The article and the answer given directly above answer 99 percent of questions.

If you ignore this message and find a different article with comments open, I reserve the right to:
– Direct you back to this message;
– Transfer your comment to this post but not answer;
– Delete your question.

I am only accepting corrections and contributions from people who took notes on their first-hand experience getting the EU-wide permit from beginning to end, as a way to give back to the website in exchange for the free assistance they received. Thank you.

Sorry, comments are closed at this time.